Counter with thin flexible barrier

ABSTRACT

A counter has a thin, flexible barrier member separating pivotally mounted operating members in the counter so as to accommodate burrs or other imperfections as well as misalignment. The pivotally mounted members are supported on shafts which extend through the barrier member and are biased against the flexible barrier member so that any burrs or roughness on the faces of the moving members abutting the flexible barrier member will produce deflection thereof and movement of the members against the biasing means without interfering with the operation of the counter.

United States Patent [451 Aug. 22, 1972 McConnell 1541 COUNTER WITH THIN FLEXIBLE BARRIER [72] Inventor: Edwin J. McConnell, Windsor,

Conn.

[73] Assignee: Redington Counters, Inc., Windsor,

Conn.

[22] Filed: Aug. 26, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 67,053

[52] US. Cl. ..235/92 C, 308/D1G. 7

[51] Int. Cl. ..G06m 1/00 [58] Field of Search ..235/92 C; 308/D1G. 7, 164; 74/437, 451

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,380,149 4/1968 Holbrook ..29/433 3,576,974 5/1971 Knox ..235/92 R 2,910,329 10/1959 Runton ..308/DlG.7

1/1949 Poltorak ..308/DlG. 7 2,976,093 3/1961 Reiling ..308/DlG. 7 2,984,963 5/ 1961 Reuter ..308/DlG. 7

Primary Examiner-Thomas A. Robinson Assistant Exarniner-Robert F. Gnuse Attorney-Peter L. Costas [5 7] ABSTRACT A counter has a thin, flexible barrier member separating pivotally mounted operating members in the counter so as to accommodate burrs or other imperfections as well as misalignment. The pivotally mounted members are supported on shafts which extend through the barrier member and are biased against the flexible barrier member so that any burrs or roughness on the faces of the moving members abutting the flexible barrier member will produce deflection thereof and movement of the members against the biasing means without interfering with the operation of the counter.

15 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 22, 1972 g 1 Ww (R V M W W PIC-3.4

FIG.2

5' [n ventor 0110 J Mr formed 1 COUNTER WITH THIN FLEXIBLE BARRIER BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION Counters are widely employed in industry and elsewhere for recording numerical data relevant to various activities; for example, they are commonly used to record turnstile operations and machine operations. The input to the counting machine mechanism may be electromechanical or mechanical. Many counters are capable of both add and subtract functions such as that counter described in Applicants copending application entitled, ADD AND SUBTRACT PAWL ACTION COUNTER" filed July 8, 1970 in the United States Patent Office and bearing Ser. No. 53,091. Many if not most counters now employ molded, synthetic plastic members to provide the pivotable or rotatable operating members such as number wheels, transfer pinions, drive gears, pawls and the like.

A problem which may occur in such counters using molded synthetic plastic pivotable operating members is that there may be burrs or other irregularities in the faces thereof. Similar imperfections may also occur in machined parts'Such burrs or other surface irregularities, which might ordinarily seem insignificant, may create a substantial problem in a mechanism which must be precisely manufactured and assembled and which must operate flawlessly to produce an accurate indication, particularly at high speeds. It will be appreciated that surface imperfections may produce undesired engagement between adjacent operating members to retard or even prevent relative movement therebetween. Moreover, surface imperfections often can introduce an intolerable level of axial misalignment between operating members supported on different shafts.

Another problem which frequently occurs is that of obtaining precise axial alignment of operating members on two adjacent shafts. Oftentimes, a minor degree of misalignment will produce undesired and spurious partial engagement between the circumferential gear teeth of one member and teeth or other circumferential formations of an inappropriate memberon another shaft.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel counter which is relatively inexpensive to produce and which functions smoothly despite minor surface irregularities in the adjacent surfaces of the operating members thereof. A related object is to provide such a counter wherein there is permitted an economically advantageous degree of tolerance in the surface characteristics of the operating members thereof.

Still another object is to provide such a counter in which minor axial misalignment between operating members on adjacent shafts is readily and simply accommodated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has now been found that the foregoing and related objects can be readily attained in a counter having a support carrying a shaft which pivotably supports a first member having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to the shaft. A second member is pivotably mounted on the shaft and has a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to the shaft adjacent the planar surface of the first member. Means for pivoting the first and second members includes a third member with a portion disposed radially outwardly from and in the plane of one of the first and second members, and this portion is drivingly engaged with the one member in the plane of which it lies adjacent the periphery of that member. A flexible barrier member having generally planar surfaces extends between the first and second members and through the area of driving engagement between the third member and the one pivoted member and means holds the first and second members in close surface contact with the barrier member and they freely pivot in surface contact with the barrier member which prevents surface contact between the first and second members and flexes to accommodate surface imperfections on the generally planar surfaces of the several members.

In one embodiment, the means holding the first and second members and the barrier in close surface contact includes axial biasing means resiliently urging the first and second members against the barrier member. The barrier and the first and second members may be of synthetic plastic construction and more particularly. the barrier preferably is a polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate. In one form, the first member is a pawl and the second member is a generally circular member having teeth about the circumference thereof and the holding means includes a Bellville washer.

In another form, the counter has two shafts with the first carrying first and second members as described above and. a second shaft carried by the support in parallel spaced apart relationship to the first shaft. A third member is pivotably supportly on said second shaft and has circumferential portions engaging one of the first and second members with said third member having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to the shafts and a flexible barrier member extends between the first and second members. The barrier member has generally planar surfaces cooperating with the first, second and third members through which at least the first shaft extends.

In another form, the barrier extends between the two shafts and has apertures therein through which the shafts extend. Various other forms are provided which are similar to the single shaft embodiment but which also provide for axial misalignment of members mounted in meshing engagement therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of an electro-mechanical counter embodying the present invention with a portion of the casing broken away to reveal internal construction;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the counter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2 and illustrating only the operating members;

FIG. 4 is a similar view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the thin flexible barrier member of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Turning now in detail to the appended drawings, an electro-mechanical counter embodying the present invention has a support or frame, generally designated by the numeral 10, with a viewing cut out 12 in the top wall 14 thereof through which are visible four number wheels 16. The number wheels 16 are provided with circumferential teeth 17 in a conventional manner and are rotatably mounted upon a shaft 18 which is supported between the sidewalls 20 of the frame 10. Two electromagnetic coils 22 are mounted in the bottom portion of the frame 10, and each is suitably and independently connected to an energizing source (not shown) of current which may take any of numerous forms depending upon the application for which the particular counter is intended. Clappers 24 are loosely supported at one end upon associated pedestals 26 (only one of which is visible) by seating a tongue at the upper end of the pedestal in a slot adjacent the rear edge of the clapper 24 so that one clapper is positioned to overlie each of the coils 22. The tongue 28 at the front end of each clapper 24 is received in a recess 30 provided in each of the ears 32 projecting outwardly from the sides of the driver, the latter being generally designated by the numeral 34.

The driver 34 is oscillatably mounted on a shaft 36 which is supported between the sidewalls 20, and it will be apparent that selective energization of one of the coils 22 will cause a downward movement of the associated clapper 24, which in turn will oscillate the driver 34 in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction depending upon which coil is energized.

The driving mechanism is more completely described in the aforementioned copending application and includes a generally semi-circular ratchet member, generally designated by the numeral 52. The ratchet member 52 is oscillatably mounted on the shaft 18 adjacent the driver 34 and has an arcuate or generally curvilinear edge 54. Mounted on the ratchet member 52 on opposite sides of the shaft 18 are a pair of generally L-shaped pawls 65, 67 which are pivotably mounted at the juncture of their legs upon the pivot pin 68 of the ratchet member 52. The pawls 65, 67 have stop shoulders 71 which abut against stops 72 on the face of the ratchet member 52 to limit pivoting thereof under the biasing action of the tension spring 70 which is connected between the ends of the legs spaced from the pinion 60. During part of the operational cycle of the device, the pawls 65, 67 engage the teeth 62 of the pinion 60 to effect pivoting thereof.

As best seen in FIG. 2, four pinions 60, 60 are rotatably mounted on the shaft 44 beneath the number wheels 16; the three pinions 60 serve as transfer gears between adjacent number wheels 16, whereas the fourth pinion 60 is associated with the ratchet member 52 and the first number wheel 16 and serves as the transfer gear therebetween. As will be evident from the drawing, the construction of the several pinions 60, 60 may be the same.

Spaced from and parallel to the shaft 18 is a second shaft 74 upon which are rotatably supported four slave gears or cam members 77 which have circumferential gear teeth 73 engaged with the gear teeth 17 of the number wheels 16. In addition, each of the slave gears 77 has a circumferential cam surface 75 which cooperates with a cam follower cam shown) to actuate a switch (not shown) at a predetermined count or point in its revolution.

Extending between the first number wheel 16 and pawls 65, 67 and supported on the shafts l8 and 74 is a thin, flexible barrier member with apertures therein through which the shafts extend. The configuration of the barrier member 70 is best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein it can be seen that the barrier member 70 completely overlies the side surface of the adjacent slave gear 77 and all of the side surface of the adjacent number wheel 16 except that adjacent opinion gear 60. As seen in FIG. 3, it also overlies substantially all of the surface of the pawls 65, 67 except for the ends adjacent the pinion gear 60. In this manner, the barrier member 70 prevents engagement and frictional contact between the adjacent side surfaces of the pawls 65, 67 and of the first number wheel 16. In addition, it serves to prevent inadvertent and spurious engagement between the teeth of the first slave gear 77 and the pawl 65 and to help align the teeth of the slave gear 77 with the teeth 17 of the first number wheel 16. A bellville washer 78 located on the shaft 18 serves to resiliently bias to left most number wheel 16 against the thin flexible barrier member 70 and in turn biases the barrier 70 against pawls 65, 67. Thus, these several members are in close surface contact. The cooperating relationship of the Bellville washer 78 resiliently biasing the pivotable operating members of the assembly on either side of the thin flexible barrier member 70 into close surface contact therewith facilitate the pivotal movement of such members despite surface irregularities on their adjacent surfaces or even normal frictional forces which would otherwise be encountered, thereby insuring greater reliability and speed of operation for the counter. Moreover, irregularities will produce deflection of the barrier member and axial movement of the pivotable operating members against the Bellville washer.

Although the present invention may be utilized in connection with a counter having a single shaft to prevent undesired surface contact between adjacent operating members, it will be readily appreciated that it is most advantageously employed in multiple shaft constructions so as to prevent spurious engagement or facilitate proper alignment between operating members on the several shafts as well as prevent undesired surface contact between adjacent members supported in the same shaft. Moreover, the operating members may be mounted directly on the shaft or indirectly on the shaft as in the case of the illustrated pawls and other operating members may be mounted in-dependently of a shaft for sliding or rolling or other motion which may be rectilinear or arcuate. The adjacent pivotably supported operating member may be circular or non-circular in configuration; for example, both may be gears, both pawls, or any other combination of operating members having generally planar side surfaces.

As will be appreciated, the apertures are not necessary in the barrier member and the member may be supported on the casing or clamped or otherwise held in position between the adjacent operating members with edge portions shaped to accommodate the particular assembly of the operating members. The barrier member may be any smooth flexible member and is preferably and economically a sheet structure of a synthetic plastic having a wear resistant surface and a low degree of friction. Exemplary resins are polyesters,

polycarbonates and polyolefins, polyethlene terephthalate has been found particularly suitable.

In the present invention, the means holding the operating member and the barrier member in close surface contact may be merely conventional devices but more particularly include resilient biasing elements such as the Bellville washer in the illustrated embodiment or as is provided by various coil or leaf spring construction.

Thus, it can be seen from the foregoing detailed specification and drawingthat the present invention provides a construction which will reduce frictional forces and interferences between adjacent moving elements of a counter despite minor surface irregularities therein while being inexpensive to produces. Similarly, an economically advantageous degree of tolerance in the surface characteristics of the operating member is possible. The counter of the present invention provides a construction wherein minor axial misalignment between operating members on adjacent shafts is readily and simply accommodated.

Iclaim:

1. In a counter, the combination comprising:

a. a support,

b. a shaft carried by said support,

c. a first member pivotably supported on said shaft and having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to said shaft,

d. a second member pivotably supported on said shaft and having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to said shaft adjacent said planar surface of said first member;

e. means pivoting in cooperation with said first and second member including a third member pivotably mounted on said support with a portion disposed radially outwardly from and in the plane of one of said first and second members, said portion being drivingly engaged with said one of said first and second members adjacent the periphery of said one member, Y

f. a flexible barrier member extending between said first and second pivotably supported members and having generally planar surfaces cooperating with the planar surfaces of said pivotably mounted members, said barrier member having an aperture therein through which said shaft extends and extending through the area of driving engagement between said one pivoted member and said third member, and

g. means holding said first and second pivotably supported members in close surface contact with said barrier member, all of said pivotably supported members freely pivoting in surface contact with said barrier member and said barrier member preventing surface contact between said first and second pivotably supported members and between said third member and the other of said first and second pivotable members, said barrier member flexing to accommodate surface imperfections on the generally planar surfaces of the several pivotable members.

2. The counter of claim 1 wherein said holding means includes axial biasing means resiliently urging said first and second members against said barrier member.

3. The counter of claim 1 wherein said barrier member is a thin synthetic plastic sheet structure.

4. The counter of claim 3 wherein said first and second pivotably supported members are of molded synthetic plastic construction.

5. The counter of claim 4 wherein said synthetic resin of said barrier member is polyester resin.

6. The counter of claim 5 wherein said polyester resin is polyethylene terephthalate.

7. The counter of claim 1 wherein said first pivotably supported member is a pawl and said second pivotably supported member is a generally circular member with teeth about the circumference thereof, said first and second members being of molded synthetic plastic constructron.

8. The counter of claim 7 wherein said barrier member is a thin synthetic plastic sheet structure and wherein said holding means includes a Bellville washer resiliently urging said first and second members against said barrier member.

9. In a counter, the combination comprising:

a. a support,

b. a first shaft carried by said support,

c. a first member pivotably supported on said first shaft and having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to said first shaft,

' d. a second member pivotably supported on said first shaft and having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to said first shaft adjacent said planar surface of said first member,

e. a second shaft carried by said support in parallel spaced relationship to said first shaft,

f. a third member pivotably supported on said second shaft and having a circumferential portion drivingly engaged with one of said first and second members adjacent the periphery thereof, said third member having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularlyto said shafts.

g. a flexible barrier member extending between said first and second pivotably supported members and extending through the area of driving engagement between said third member and said one pivoted member, said barrier member having generally planar surfaces cooperating with the planar surfaces of each of said pivotably supported members and having apertures therein through which at least said first shaft extends,

h. means holding said first and second pivotably supported members and said barrier member in close surface contact with said flexible barrier member, all of said pivotably supported members freely pivoting in surface contact with said barrier member and said barrier member preventing surface contact between said first and second pivotable members and between said third pivotable member and the other of said first and second pivotable members.

10. The counter of claim 9 wherein said barrier member extends between said shafts and has apertures therein through which said shafts extend.

11. The counter of claim 10 wherein said one of said first and second members and said third pivotably supported members are both circular members having teeth spaced about the circumference thereof and in meshing engagement.

said first and second members against said barrier member.

14. The counter of claim 9 wherein said barrier member is a thin synthetic plastic sheet structure.

15. The counter of claim 14 wherein all ol said pivotably supported members are of molded synthetic plastic construction. 

1. In a counter, the combination comprising: a. a support, b. a shaft carried by said support, c. a first member pivotably supported on said shaft and having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to said shaft, d. a second member pivotably supported on said shaft and having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to said shaft adjacent said planar surface of said first member; e. means pivoting in cooperation with said first and second member including a third member pivotably mounted on said support with a portion disposed radially outwardly from and in the plane of one of said first and second members, said portion being drivingly engaged with said one of said first and second members adjacEnt the periphery of said one member, f. a flexible barrier member extending between said first and second pivotably supported members and having generally planar surfaces cooperating with the planar surfaces of said pivotably mounted members, said barrier member having an aperture therein through which said shaft extends and extending through the area of driving engagement between said one pivoted member and said third member, and g. means holding said first and second pivotably supported members in close surface contact with said barrier member, all of said pivotably supported members freely pivoting in surface contact with said barrier member and said barrier member preventing surface contact between said first and second pivotably supported members and between said third member and the other of said first and second pivotable members, said barrier member flexing to accommodate surface imperfections on the generally planar surfaces of the several pivotable members.
 2. The counter of claim 1 wherein said holding means includes axial biasing means resiliently urging said first and second members against said barrier member.
 3. The counter of claim 1 wherein said barrier member is a thin synthetic plastic sheet structure.
 4. The counter of claim 3 wherein said first and second pivotably supported members are of molded synthetic plastic construction.
 5. The counter of claim 4 wherein said synthetic resin of said barrier member is polyester resin.
 6. The counter of claim 5 wherein said polyester resin is polyethylene terephthalate.
 7. The counter of claim 1 wherein said first pivotably supported member is a pawl and said second pivotably supported member is a generally circular member with teeth about the circumference thereof, said first and second members being of molded synthetic plastic construction.
 8. The counter of claim 7 wherein said barrier member is a thin synthetic plastic sheet structure and wherein said holding means includes a Bellville washer resiliently urging said first and second members against said barrier member.
 9. In a counter, the combination comprising: a. a support, b. a first shaft carried by said support, c. a first member pivotably supported on said first shaft and having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to said first shaft, d. a second member pivotably supported on said first shaft and having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to said first shaft adjacent said planar surface of said first member, e. a second shaft carried by said support in parallel spaced relationship to said first shaft, f. a third member pivotably supported on said second shaft and having a circumferential portion drivingly engaged with one of said first and second members adjacent the periphery thereof, said third member having a generally planar surface extending perpendicularly to said shafts. g. a flexible barrier member extending between said first and second pivotably supported members and extending through the area of driving engagement between said third member and said one pivoted member, said barrier member having generally planar surfaces cooperating with the planar surfaces of each of said pivotably supported members and having apertures therein through which at least said first shaft extends, h. means holding said first and second pivotably supported members and said barrier member in close surface contact with said flexible barrier member, all of said pivotably supported members freely pivoting in surface contact with said barrier member and said barrier member preventing surface contact between said first and second pivotable members and between said third pivotable member and the other of said first and second pivotable members.
 10. The counter of claim 9 wherein said barrier member extends between said shafts and has apertures therein through which said shafts extend.
 11. The counter of claim 10 wherein said one of said first and second membeRs and said third pivotably supported members are both circular members having teeth spaced about the circumference thereof and in meshing engagement.
 12. The counter of claim 11 wherein there is included means holding said third pivotably supported member in meshing engagement with said first pivotably supported member, said flexible barrier member flexing between said shafts to accommodate axial misalignment therebetween.
 13. The counter of claim 9 wherein said holding means includes axial biasing means resiliently urging said first and second members against said barrier member.
 14. The counter of claim 9 wherein said barrier member is a thin synthetic plastic sheet structure.
 15. The counter of claim 14 wherein all of said pivotably supported members are of molded synthetic plastic construction. 